[0]

inputs

Five

years

ago,

the

war

in

Iraq

began

[1]

inputs

And

on

this

fifth

anniversary,

we

honor

the

brave

men

and

women

who

are

serving

this

nation

in

Iraq,

Afghanistan,

and

around

the

world

[2]

inputs

We

pay

tribute

to

the

sacrifices

of

their

families

back

home

[3]

inputs

And

a

grateful

nation

mourns

the

loss

of

our

fallen

heroes

[4]

inputs

I

understand

that

the

first

serviceman

killed

in

Iraq

was

a

native

West

Virginian,

Marine

1st

Lieutenant

Shane

Childers,

who

died

five

years

ago

tomorrow

[5]

inputs

And

so

on

this

anniversary,

my

thoughts

and

prayers

go

out

to

Lieutenant

Childers'

family,

and

to

all

who'

ve

lost

loved

ones

in

Iraq

and

Afghanistan

[6]

inputs

The

costs

of

war

are

greatest

for

the

troops

and

those

who

love

them,

but

we

know

that

war

has

other

costs

as

well

[7]

inputs

Yesterday,

I

addressed

some

of

these

other

costs

in

a

speech

on

the

strategic

consequences

of

the

Iraq

war

[8]

inputs

I

spoke

about

how

this

war

has

diverted

us

from

fighting

al

Qaeda

in

Afghanistan

and

Pakistan,

and

from

addressing

the

other

challenges

of

the

21st

Century:

violent

extremism

and

nuclear

weapons;

climate

change

and

poverty;

genocide

and

disease

[9]

inputs

And

today,

I

want

to

talk

about

another

cost

of

this

war -

the

toll

it

has

taken

on

our

economy

[10]

inputs

Because

at

a

time

when

we'

re

on

the

brink

of

recession -

when

neighborhoods

have

For

Sale

signs

outside

every

home,

and

working

families

are

struggling

to

keep

up

with

rising

costs -

ordinary

Americans

are

paying

a

price

for

this

war

[11]

inputs

When

you'

re

spending

over $

50

to

fill

up

your

car

because

the

price

of

oil

is

four

times

what

it

was

before

Iraq,

you'

re

paying

a

price

for

this

war

[12]

inputs

When

Iraq

is

costing

each

household

about $

100

a

month,

you'

re

paying

a

price

for

this

war

[13]

inputs

When

a

National

Guard

unit

is

over

in

Iraq

and

can'

t

help

out

during

a

hurricane

in

Louisiana

or

with

floods

here

in

West

Virginia,

our

communities

are

paying

a

price

for

this

war

[14]

inputs

And

the

price

our

families

and

communities

are

paying

reflects

the

price

America

is

paying

[15]

inputs

The

most

conservative

estimates

say

that

Iraq

has

now

cost

more

than

half

a

trillion

dollars,

more

than

any

other

war

in

our

history

besides

World

War

II

[16]

inputs

Some

say

the

true

cost

is

even

higher

and

that

by

the

time

it'

s

over,

this

could

be

a $

3

trillion

war

[17]

inputs

But

what

no

one

disputes

is

that

the

cost

of

this

war

is

far

higher

than

what

we

were

told

it

would

be

[18]

inputs

We

were

told

this

war

would

cost $

50

to $

60

billion,

and

that

reconstruction

would

pay

for

itself

out

of

Iraqi

oil

profits

[19]

inputs

We

were

told

higher

estimates

were

nothing

but "

baloney

[20]

inputs

Like

so

much

else

about

this

war,

we

were

not

told

the

truth

[21]

inputs

What

no

one

disputes

is

that

the

costs

of

this

war

have

been

compounded

by

its

careless

and

incompetent

execution -

from

the

billions

that

have

vanished

in

Iraq

to

the

billions

more

in

no-

bid

contracts

for

reckless

contractors

like

Halliburton

[22]

inputs

What

no

one

disputes

is

that

five

years

into

this

war,

soldiers

up

at

Fort

Drum

are

having

to

wait

more

than

a

month

to

get

their

first

mental

health

screening -

even

though

we

know

that

incidences

of

PTSD

skyrocket

between

the

second,

third,

and

fourth

tours

of

duty

[23]

inputs

We

have

a

sacred

trust

to

our

troops

and

our

veterans,

and

we

have

to

live

up

to

it

[24]

inputs

What

no

one

disputes

is

that

President

Bush

has

done

what

no

other

President

has

ever

done,

and

given

tax

cuts

to

the

rich

in

a

time

of

war

[25]

inputs

John

McCain

once

opposed

these

tax

cuts -

he

rightly

called

them

unfair

and

fiscally

irresponsible

[26]

inputs

But

now

he

has

done

an

about

face

and

wants

to

make

them

permanent,

just

like

he

wants

a

permanent

occupation

in

Iraq

[27]

inputs

No

matter

what

the

costs,

no

matter

what

the

consequences,

John

McCain

seems

determined

to

carry

out

a

third

Bush-

term

[28]

inputs

That'

s

an

outcome

America

can'

t

afford

[29]

inputs

Because

of

the

Bush-

McCain

policies,

our

debt

has

ballooned

[30]

inputs

This

is

creating

problems

in

our

fragile

economy

[31]

inputs

And

that

kind

of

debt

also

places

an

unfair

burden

on

our

children

and

grandchildren,

who

will

have

to

repay

it

[32]

inputs

It

also

means

we'

re

having

to

pay

for

this

war

with

loans

from

China

[33]

inputs

Having

China

as

our

banker

isn'

t

good

for

our

economy,

it

isn'

t

good

for

our

global

leadership,

and

it

isn'

t

good

for

our

national

security

[34]

inputs

History

teaches

us

that

for

a

nation

to

remain

a

preeminent

military

power,

it

must

remain

a

preeminent

economic

power

[35]

inputs

That

is

why

it

is

so

important

to

manage

the

costs

of

war

wisely

[36]

inputs

This

is

a

lesson

that

the

first

President

Bush

understood

[37]

inputs

The

conduct

of

the

Gulf

War

cost

America

less

than $

20

billion -

what

we

pay

in

two

months

in

Iraq

today

[38]

inputs

That'

s

because

that

war

was

prosecuted

on

solid

grounds,

and

in

a

responsible

way,

and

with

the

support

of

allies,

who

paid

most

of

the

costs

[39]

inputs

None

of

this

has

been

the

case

in

the

way

George

W.

Bush

and

John

McCain

have

waged

the

current

Iraq

war

[40]

inputs

Now,

at

that

debate

in

Texas

several

weeks

ago,

Senator

Clinton

attacked

John

McCain

for

supporting

the

policies

that

have

led

to

our

enormous

war

costs

[41]

inputs

But

her

point

would

have

been

more

compelling

had

she

not

joined

Senator

McCain

in

making

the

tragically

ill-

considered

decision

to

vote

for

the

Iraq

war

in

the

first

place

[42]

inputs

The

truth

is,

this

is

all

part

of

the

reason

I

opposed

this

war

from

the

start

[43]

inputs

It'

s

why

I

said

back

in

2002

that

it

could

lead

to

an

occupation

not

just

of

undetermined

length

or

undetermined

consequences,

but

of

undetermined

costs

[44]

inputs

It'

s

why

I'

ve

said

this

war

should

have

never

been

authorized

and

never

been

waged

[45]

inputs

Now,

let

me

be

clear:

when

I

am

President,

I

will

spare

no

expense

to

ensure

that

our

troops

have

the

equipment

and

support

they

need

[46]

inputs

There

is

no

higher

obligation

for

a

Commander-

in-

Chief

[47]

inputs

But

we

also

have

to

understand

that

the

more

than $

10

billion

we'

re

spending

each

month

in

Iraq

is

money

we

could

be

investing

here

at

home

[48]

inputs

Just

think

about

what

battles

we

could

be

fighting

instead

of

fighting

this

misguided

war

[49]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

fighting

the

terrorists

who

attacked

us

on

9/

11

and

who

are

plotting

against

us

in

Afghanistan

and

Pakistan

[50]

inputs

We

could

be

securing

our

homeland

and

stopping

the

world'

s

most

dangerous

weapons

from

falling

into

terrorist

hands

[51]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

fighting

for

the

people

of

West

Virginia

[52]

inputs

For

what

folks

in

this

state

have

been

spending

on

the

Iraq

war,

we

could

be

giving

health

care

to

nearly

450,

000

of

your

neighbors,

hiring

nearly

30,

000

new

elementary

school

teachers,

and

making

college

more

affordable

for

over

300,

000

students

[53]

inputs

We

could

be

fighting

to

put

the

American

dream

within

reach for

every

American -

by

giving

tax

breaks

to

working

families,

offering

relief

to

struggling

homeowners,

reversing

President

Bush's

cuts to

the

Manufacturing

Extension

Partnership,

and

protecting

Social

Security

today,

tomorrow,

and

forever

[54]

inputs

That'

s

what

we

could

be

doing

instead

of

fighting

this

war

[55]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

fighting

to

make

universal

health

care

a

reality

in

this

country

[56]

inputs

We

could

be

fighting

for

the

young

woman

who

works

the

night

shift

after

a

full

day

of

college

and

still

can'

t

afford

medicine

for

a

sister

who'

s

ill.

For

what

we

spend

in

several

months

in

Iraq,

we

could

be

providing

them

with

the

quality,

affordable

health

care

that

every

American

deserves

[57]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

fighting

to

give

every

American

a

quality

education

[58]

inputs

We

could

be

fighting

for

the

young

men

and

women

all

across

this

country

who

dream

big

dreams

but

aren'

t

getting

the

kind

of

education

they

need

to

reach

for

those

dreams

[59]

inputs

For

a

fraction

of

what

we'

re

spending

each

year

in

Iraq,

we

could

be

giving

our

teachers

more

pay

and

more

support,

rebuilding

our

crumbling

schools,

and

offering

a

tax

credit

to

put

a

college

degree

within

reach

for

anyone

who

wants

one

[60]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

fighting

to

rebuild

our

roads

and

bridges

[61]

inputs

I'

ve

proposed

a

fund

that

would

do

just

that

and

generate

nearly

two

million

new

jobs -

many

in

the

construction

industry

that'

s

been

hard

hit

by

our

housing

crisis

[62]

inputs

And

it

would

cost

just

six

percent

of

what

we

spend

each

year

in

Iraq

[63]

inputs

Instead

of

fighting

this

war,

we

could

be

freeing

ourselves

from

the

tyranny

of

oil,

and

saving

this

planet

for

our

children

[64]

inputs

We

could

be

investing

in

renewable

sources

of

energy,

and

in

clean

coal

technology,

and

creating

up

to

5

million

new

green

jobs

in

the

bargain,

including

new

clean

coal

jobs

[65]

inputs

And

we

could

be

doing

it

all

for

the

cost

of

less

than

a

year

and

a

half

in

Iraq

[66]

inputs

These

are

the

investments

we

could

be

making,

all

within

the

parameters

of

a

more

responsible

and

disciplined

budget

[67]

inputs

This

is

the

future

we

could

be

building

[68]

inputs

And

that

is

why

I

will

bring

this

war

to

an

end

when

I'

m

President

of

the

United

States

of

America

[69]

inputs

But

we

also

know

that

even

after

this

war

comes

to

an

end,

the

costs

of

this

war

will

not

[70]

inputs

We'

ll

have

to

keep

our

sacred

trust

with

our

veterans

and

fully

fund

the

VA.

We'

ll

have

to

look

after

our

wounded

warriors -

whether

they'

re

suffering

from

wounds

seen

or

unseen

[71]

inputs

That

must

include

the

signature

injuries

of

the

wars

in

Iraq

and

Afghanistan -

not

just

PTSD,

but

Traumatic

Brain

Injury

[72]

inputs

We'

ll

have

to

give

veterans

the

health

care

and

disability

benefits

they

deserve,

the

support

they

need,

and

the

respect

they'

ve

earned

[73]

inputs

This

is

an

obligation

I

have

fought

to

uphold

on

the

Senate

Veterans'

Affairs

Committee

by

joining

Jay

Rockefeller

to

expand

educational

opportunities

for

our

veterans

[74]

inputs

It'

s

an

obligation

I

will

uphold

as

President,

and

it'

s

an

obligation

that

will

endure

long

after

this

war

is

over

[75]

inputs

And

our

obligation

to

rebuild

our

military

will

endure

as

well

[76]

inputs

This

war

has

stretched

our

military

to

its

limits,

wearing

down

troops

and

equipment

as

a

result

of

tour

after

tour

after

tour

of

duty

[77]

inputs

The

Army

has

said

it

will

need $

13

billion

a

year

just

to

replace

and

repair

all

the

equipment

that'

s

been

broken

or

lost

[78]

inputs

So

in

the

coming

years

we

won'

t

just have

to restore

our

military

to

its

peak level of readiness,

and

we

won'

t

just

have to

make sure

our

National

Guard

is

back

to

being fully

prepared

to

handle

a

domestic

crisis,

we'

ll

also

have

to ensure

that

our

soldiers

are

trained

and

equipped to

confront the

new

threats

of

the

21

century

and

that

our

military

can

meet any challenge around

the

world

[79]

inputs

And

that

is

a

responsibility

I

intend

to

meet

as

Commander-

in-

Chief

[80]

inputs

So

we

know

what

this

war

has

cost

us -

in

blood

and

in

treasure

[81]

inputs

But

in

the

words

of

Robert

Kennedy, "

past

error

is

no

excuse

for

its

own

perpetuation

[82]

inputs

And

yet,

John

McCain

refuses

to

learn

from

the

failures

of

the

Bush

years

[83]

inputs

Instead

of

offering

an

exit

strategy

for

Iraq,

he'

s

offering

us

a

100-

year

occupation

[84]

inputs

Instead

of

offering

an

economic

plan

that

works

for

working

Americans,

he'

s

supporting

tax

cuts

for

the

wealthiest

among

us

who

don'

t

need

them

and

aren'

t

asking

for

them

[85]

inputs

Senator

McCain

is

embracing

the

failed

policies

of

the

past,

but

America

is

ready

to

embrace

the

future

[86]

inputs

When

I

am

your

nominee,

the

American

people

will

have

a

real

choice

in

November -

between

change

and

more

of

the

same,

between

giving

the

Bush

policies

another

four

years,

or

bringing

them

to

an

end

[87]

inputs

And

that

is

the

choice

the

American

people

deserve

[88]

inputs

Somewhere

in

Baghdad

today,

a

soldier

is

stepping

into

his

Humvee

and

heading

out

on

a

patrol

[89]

inputs

That

soldier

knows

the

cost

of

war

[90]

inputs

He'

s

been

bearing

it

for

five

years

[91]

inputs

It'

s

the

cost

of

being

kept

awake

at

night

by

the

whistle

of

falling

mortars

[92]

inputs

It'

s

the

cost

of

a

heart

that

aches

for

a

loved

one

back

home,

and

a

family

that'

s

counting

the

days

until

the

next

R&

R

[93]

inputs

It'

s

the

cost

of

losing

a

friend,

who

asked

for

nothing

but

to

serve

his

country

[94]

inputs

How

much

longer

are

we

going

to

ask

our

troops

to

bear

the

cost

of

this

war

[95]

inputs

How

much

longer

are

we

going

to

ask

our

families

and

our

communities

to

bear

the

cost

of

this

war

[96]

inputs

When

are

we

going

to

stop

mortgaging

our

children'

s

future

for

Washington'

s

mistake

[97]

inputs

This

election

is

our

chance

to

reclaim

our

future -

to

end

the

fight

in

Iraq

and

take

up

the

fight

for

good

jobs

and

universal

health

care

[98]

inputs

To

end

the

fight

in

Iraq

and

take

up

the

fight

for

a

world-

class

education

and

retirement

security

[99]

inputs

To

end

the

fight

in

Iraq

and

take

up

the

fight

for

opportunity,

and

equality,

and

prosperity

here

at

home

[100]

inputs

Those

are

the

battles

we

need

to

fight

[101]

inputs

That

is

the

leadership

I

want

to

offer

[102]

inputs

And

that

is

the

future

we

can

build

together

when

I'

m

President

of

the

United

States

[103]

inputs

Thank

you